batch.motif.roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg-l6157-l6253
---
record_id: batch.motif.roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg-l6157-l6253
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK THE ELEVENTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 6157-6253
start: '6157'
end: '6253'
translation: The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage gives explanatory material on Midas and Tmolus, then narrates
how Apollo and Neptune, in mortal form, build Troy’s walls for Laomedon, who refuses
the agreed reward. Neptune punishes Troy with inundation and demands the king’s
daughter for a sea monster. Hercules rescues her, is also denied his promised
reward, captures Troy, and Hesione is given to Telamon. The passage closes by
noting Peleus’ distinction in having a goddess as wife.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Midas is described as the son of Gordius and Cybele and as a rich, frugal
ruler of Greater Phrygia.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The account says it was reported that whatever Midas touched was turned into
gold.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The explanation connects Midas’ wealth with Bacchus’ favor, gold from the
river Pactolus, mines of Mount Bermius, and an infancy omen involving ants placing
grains of wheat in his mouth.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: Midas is described as stupid and ignorant, with a fable in which he preferred
Pan’s music to Apollo’s and received asses’ ears.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Tmolus is said to have violated Arriphe, a nymph of Diana, and to have died
after being tossed by a bull and falling on sharp stakes.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Apollo and Neptune assume mortal form and build the walls of rising Troy for
Laomedon in exchange for an agreed sum of gold.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: After the walls are finished, Laomedon refuses the reward and adds perjury
to false words.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Neptune punishes Troy by driving his waters against its shores, making land
resemble sea, carrying off rural wealth, and overwhelming fields with waves.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:9
text: The king’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster and is chained to rugged
rocks.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:10
text: Alcides delivers the chained daughter and demands the promised horses as reward.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: Laomedon denies Hercules the promised recompense, after which Hercules captures
conquered Troy’s twice-perjured walls.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:12
text: Telamon receives Hesione after sharing in the warfare.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:13
text: Peleus is said to be distinguished because a goddess was given to him as wife.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Midas
description: Rich and frugal Phrygian ruler associated with gold, Bacchus’ favor,
an infancy omen, foolish musical judgment, asses’ ears, and death after drinking
warm bullock’s blood.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Bacchus
description: Divinity whose worship Midas favored and whose good offices were used
to explain Midas’ success.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Apollo / son of Latona
description: God who revenges himself, leaves Tmolus, assumes mortal form with Neptune,
and helps build Troy’s walls.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Pan
description: God whose music Midas is said to have preferred to Apollo’s.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Tmolus
description: King of Lydia who violated Arriphe and died as punishment after being
tossed by a bull onto stakes; buried on the mountain later bearing his name.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Arriphe
description: A nymph of Diana violated by Tmolus.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Neptune / trident-bearing father of the raging deep / king of the
sea
description: Sea god who assumes mortal form, builds Troy’s walls with Apollo, and
punishes Laomedon’s perjury by inundating Troy and demanding the king’s daughter
for a sea monster.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:9
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Laomedon
description: Phrygian king of Troy who promises payment to Apollo and Neptune, refuses
the reward, commits perjury, and later denies Hercules the promised horses.
role_refs:
- role:11
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Hesione / daughter of the king
description: Laomedon’s daughter, demanded for a sea monster, chained to rocks,
delivered by Alcides, and later obtained by Telamon.
role_refs:
- role:13
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Sea monster
description: Monster for whom Laomedon’s daughter is demanded after Neptune’s inundation
of Troy.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Alcides / Hercules
description: Hero who delivers Laomedon’s daughter, demands promised horses, and
captures Troy after being denied reward.
role_refs:
- role:16
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Telamon
description: Companion and sharer in the warfare who receives Hesione.
role_refs:
- role:18
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Peleus
description: Figure distinguished by having a goddess for his wife.
role_refs:
- role:19
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Unnamed goddess wife of Peleus
description: Goddess given to Peleus as wife.
role_refs:
- role:20
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: wealth-marked ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Midas is presented as a rich, frugal ruler whose touch was said to turn things
to gold.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: foolish judge of music
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Midas is described as stupid and ignorant, preferring Pan’s music to Apollo’s
and receiving asses’ ears.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: divine patron of prosperity
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Midas’ success is explained as owed to Bacchus’ good offices after Midas
favored his worship.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: divine builder in mortal form
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:7
basis: Apollo and Neptune assume mortal form and build Troy’s walls for Laomedon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:5
label: offended musical deity
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The explanation says Apollo gave Midas asses’ ears after Midas preferred
Pan’s music.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: preferred rustic musician
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Midas preferred Pan’s music to Apollo’s.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: punished violator
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Tmolus violates Arriphe and dies through a punishment involving a bull and
stakes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:8
label: violated nymph
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Arriphe is identified as a nymph of Diana violated by Tmolus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: divine punisher by flood
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Neptune sends waters against Troy after Laomedon refuses the reward and commits
perjury.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:10
label: demander of exposed daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: After the inundation, the king’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster to
appease the god.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:11
label: perjured king
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Laomedon refuses the promised reward to the gods and adds perjury to false
words.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:12
label: repeated defrauder of helpers
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Laomedon denies both the gods’ payment and Hercules’ promised horses.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:13
label: exposed royal daughter
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The king’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster and chained to rocks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:14
label: marriage prize after warfare
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Hesione is obtained by Telamon after the capture of Troy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:15
label: threatening sea monster
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The daughter is demanded for a sea monster.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:16
label: rescuer of exposed maiden
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: Alcides delivers Laomedon’s daughter from the rocks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:17
label: avenger of denied reward
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: After denied recompense, Hercules captures conquered Troy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:18
label: rewarded war companion
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Telamon shares in the warfare and obtains Hesione.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:19
label: mortal husband of a goddess
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Peleus is distinguished because a goddess was given to him as wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:20
label: divine spouse
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: The passage says a goddess was given to Peleus for a wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: golden touch
literal_form: Whatever Midas touched reportedly turning into gold
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: infancy ants with wheat
literal_form: Ants creeping into Midas’ cradle and placing grains of wheat in his
mouth
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: asses’ ears
literal_form: A pair of asses’ ears given to Midas
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: bull and stakes
literal_form: A bull tossing Tmolus onto sharp pointed stakes
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: mountain burial and name
literal_form: Mountain that later bore Tmolus’ name
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:6
label: walls of Troy
literal_form: Walls of rising Troy built by Apollo and Neptune
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:7
label: punitive waters
literal_form: Waters, sea-form land, and waves overwhelming fields around Troy
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:8
label: sea monster
literal_form: Sea monster to whom Laomedon’s daughter is demanded
associated_figures:
- fig:9
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:9
label: chains and rugged rocks
literal_form: The king’s daughter chained to rugged rocks
associated_figures:
- fig:9
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:10
label: promised horses
literal_form: Horses promised to Hercules as recompense for rescuing the daughter
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: sym:11
label: goddess wife
literal_form: A goddess given to Peleus as wife
associated_figures:
- fig:13
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Midas’ wealth and portents explained
summary: The passage explains Midas’ reported golden touch through wealth, frugality,
Bacchus’ favor, river or mine gold, and an infancy omen involving ants and wheat.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Midas’ foolish musical judgment
summary: Midas is said to prefer Pan’s music to Apollo’s, after which Apollo gives
him asses’ ears; the explanation offers rationalizing interpretations.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Tmolus punished after violating Arriphe
summary: Tmolus violates Arriphe, a nymph of Diana, and dies when tossed by a bull
onto stakes; he is buried on the mountain later named for him.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Gods build Troy’s walls under contract
summary: Apollo and Neptune assume mortal form and build the walls of rising Troy
for Laomedon in exchange for an agreed sum of gold.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Laomedon’s perjury and Neptune’s inundation
summary: After the walls are complete, Laomedon refuses payment and perjures himself;
Neptune punishes Troy with destructive waters that overwhelm land and fields.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Hesione exposed and rescued
summary: Laomedon’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster and chained to rocks,
but Alcides delivers her and asks for the promised horses.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
- sym:9
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:7
label: Second denied reward and capture of Troy
summary: Laomedon denies Hercules the promised recompense; Hercules captures Troy,
and Telamon receives Hesione.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:8
label: Peleus’ divine marriage distinction
summary: Peleus is distinguished above other descendants of Jove because a goddess
is given to him as wife.
figure_refs:
- fig:13
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: wealth transformed into golden touch legend
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The explanation says Midas’ wealth and extraction of gold may have produced
the report that everything he touched turned to gold.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents this as a rationalizing explanation rather than narrating
the transformation directly.
- id: motif:2
label: infant omen of future wealth and frugality
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Ants are said to have placed grains of wheat in Midas’ mouth in infancy,
portending that he would be rich and frugal.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference precisely matches the omen.
- id: motif:3
label: wrong musical judgment marked by animal ears
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Midas’ preference of Pan’s music to Apollo’s is linked to Apollo giving him
asses’ ears as a mark of stupidity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage explicitly calls the story a fable and gives rationalizing
alternatives.
- id: motif:4
label: sexual violation punished by violent animal death
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Tmolus violates Arriphe and is punished by being tossed by a bull onto stakes,
resulting in death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The punishing agent is not specified beyond the event being described
as punishment.
- id: motif:5
label: gods disguised as mortals perform contracted labor
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
- sacred_exchange
basis: Apollo and Neptune assume mortal form and build Troy’s walls for an agreed
payment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The transformation is into mortal form for labor; the passage does not
dwell on disguise beyond the assumption of form.
- id: motif:6
label: perjury against gods punished by inundation
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
- flood_and_renewal
basis: Laomedon refuses the gods’ agreed reward and perjures himself; Neptune punishes
Troy by overwhelming land and fields with waters.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage has flood-like punishment but does not describe renewal, so
the flood_and_renewal reference is partial.
- id: motif:7
label: royal daughter exposed to sea monster and rescued by hero
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- divine_judgment
basis: Laomedon’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster after Neptune’s punishment,
chained to rocks, and delivered by Alcides.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The passage says she is demanded to appease the god but does not describe
an actual completed sacrifice.
- id: motif:8
label: hero defrauded of rescue reward sacks city
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Hercules rescues the daughter, is denied the promised horses, and captures
Troy in revenge.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is used broadly for violated exchange; the passage
frames it as denied recompense and revenge.
- id: motif:9
label: woman awarded to war companion after conquest
taxonomy_refs:
- stolen_beloved
basis: After Troy is captured, Telamon obtains Hesione, who is given to him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage states Hesione is given to Telamon but does not describe her
consent or abduction in detail.
- id: motif:10
label: mortal distinguished by goddess wife
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_marriage
- divine_beloved
basis: Peleus is singled out because a goddess was given to him as wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage only introduces the marriage distinction and does not narrate
the courtship or wedding.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 6157-6174
quote_or_summary: Midas is described as son of Gordius and Cybele, rich and frugal;
the golden touch report is rationalized through Bacchus’ favor, gold from Pactolus
or Mount Bermius, and an infancy omen of ants placing wheat in his mouth.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 6175-6187
quote_or_summary: Midas is described as stupid and ignorant; the fable says he preferred
Pan’s music to Apollo’s and was given asses’ ears, with further rationalizing
interpretations and an account of his death after drinking warm bullock’s blood
to escape dreams.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 6189-6194
quote_or_summary: Tmolus’ ancestry is given; after violating Arriphe, a nymph of
Diana, he is punished by a bull and sharp stakes, dies, and is buried on the mountain
named for him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 6196-6205
quote_or_summary: The fable heading summarizes Apollo and Neptune building Troy’s
walls for Laomedon, Laomedon’s refusal of payment, Neptune’s inundation, the exposure
of Laomedon’s daughter to a sea monster, Hercules’ rescue, Laomedon’s second fraud,
Troy’s plundering, and Hesione’s marriage to Telamon.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 6207-6217
quote_or_summary: Apollo reaches Laomedon’s plains; with Neptune he assumes mortal
form and builds Troy’s walls for the Phrygian king after a sum of gold is agreed
for the defenses.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: 6219-6224
quote_or_summary: "“The work is now finished; the king refuses the reward,” and
Neptune drives his waters to Troy, making land like sea and overwhelming fields
with waves."
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 6224-6229
quote_or_summary: The king’s daughter is demanded for a sea monster and chained
to rocks; Alcides delivers her, asks for the promised horses, is denied recompense,
captures Troy, and Telamon obtains Hesione.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 6231-6234
quote_or_summary: Peleus is said to be distinguished because, unlike others, a goddess
was given to him as wife.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 6236-6253
quote_or_summary: Footnotes identify promontories near Troy, explain Jupiter Panomphaeus,
rationalize Neptune’s wall-building as clay mixed with water, and note Nereus’
prophetic sea-divinity.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is strong for the Troy episode and explanatory sections.
Motif taxonomy assignments are cautious where the available taxonomy only partly
matches, especially flood_and_renewal and stolen_beloved. No comparison claims
were made because the passage does not itself develop a cross-textual comparison.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Extraction uses only the supplied passage and metadata. Public-domain source summarized with one short excerpt.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg__l6157-l6253
passage_sha256=ca3f4c36340e70e9055c48db030a5ca21c30437e852fc5306a7d32b31bbf3ae4